


At the Gazebo

by pherryt



Series: SPN GENRE BINGO [2]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: F/F, F/M, Fake Marriage, Hidden Relationship, M/M, No cheating, Slight Angst in the beginning, stableboy!Samandriel, vaguely based on southern gentry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-11
Updated: 2018-08-11
Packaged: 2019-06-25 22:37:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,332
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15650319
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pherryt/pseuds/pherryt
Summary: Benny's family had arranged his marriage with an old, childhood friend he hadn't seen in years. Unfortunately, not only did his heart lay with another, but society dictated that it was the sort of relationship he had to hide.Life wasn't fair.





	At the Gazebo

**Author's Note:**

  * For [QueenMaire](https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueenMaire/gifts).



> For the SPN GENRE BIngo - the square: Fake Marriage
> 
> also, there are three bonus scenes and i mean, i have no idea how that happened. but each one started out as funny and then wound up as sentimental. *shrugs*
> 
> Also, thanks to QueenMaire for the suggestion on tumblr. I placed random numbers on my bingo cards and had people suggest a number (they had no idea what each number stood for) and a ship. Hope you like this :D

“It isn’t fair,” Samandriel choked out. His head lay on Benny’s naked, broad chest and Samandriel clutched at the bigger man in desperation.

“Shhh, cher…” Benny tried to soothe, rubbing his hands along Samandriel’s back. “I know it ain’t.

Both of them were thinking of Benny’s impending marriage in less than a week. A southern gentleman, his family had arranged for his marriage to the daughter of a neighboring family, Andrea, who benny hadn’t even seen in a good five years, since she’d been traveling abroad for her education.

All Benny could really remember of her was a dark haired child who was always getting into trouble. It was why she’d been sent away to begin with – so the rumor went – spending time with old world family.

Samandriel was one of the stable boys, a shy and quiet new hire that Benny had quickly become smitten with. They’d been hiding the truth of their relationship for nearly three years now, and what both of them wouldn’t give to not have to do so.

But relationships such as theirs were frowned on and doubly so. A man in Benny’s position with one of the grubby servant class? And a man, no less?

Still, neither of them could regret the day Samandriel had come to fill the vacant spot left after the death of one of the Lafitte’s loyal servants.

Samandriel shivered in Benny’s arm, despite the afternoon heat, and the warmth radiating off Benny’s body.

“We’ll figure something out, darling,” Benny said, reaching to gently pull Samandriel’s head up to face him and ducking down to capture his lips with own. They were still spent from their recent lovemaking, but their kisses were still heated, tinged with desperation and fear.

“Well, now,” said a cool voice.

They jerked out of the kiss and stared with wide eyes on whoever had discovered them – they had been so careful! – Samandriel with a small, sharp cry, quickly covering his mouth with his hand. Benny pulled at the discarded clothes and the blanket, trying frantically to cover Samandriel and save the poor boy his pride.

“Andrea,” Benny blurted. “I – I mean, you’ve arrived a bit ahead of schedule.”

“Indeed. I came to discuss our marriage with you. But I think…” she smiled. “I think we can work with this.”

Benny felt his stomach drop. Would she reveal all to his family? It would sully their reputation. He’d likely be cast out and Samandriel… Benny didn’t want to think what would happen to a ‘lowly’ servant. It wasn’t likely to be good.

“Please, you can’t tell anyone –” Benny started to say.

Andrea waved her hand negligently. “Psssh… as if I were going to tell your secret when I came here to discuss my own. I think the three of us can work this to our advantage.” She paused. “Well, four of us, really. This is going to be perfect.”

She sat down on the bench of the secluded gazebo and stared at the two of them with a brilliant smile.

“If we’re going to have a discussion first, would you mind letting us get a bit more presentable for it?”

“Not at all,” she said. “Don’t mind me.”

Clearly, the brazen woman had no plans to give them the privacy to do so, so Benny sighed and rolled his eyes. He held up a blanket to block her view and Samandriel did his best to get back into his clothes without a single limb peeking out from behind it. When he was done, he stood to hold the blanket. It shook in his hands and Benny reached to briefly run his fingers reassuringly over Samandriels arm.

“Take heart,” Benny whispered. “I’ll be right here with you.”

Samandriel nodded and Benny dressed.

Soon, much more composed, the two of them sat on the bench across from Andrea, sitting as close as they dared. She rolled her eyes at them.

“I don’t care that you are together. I just have one question for both of you – do you love him or is this just some passing fancy?” Andrea didn’t move an inch, but her entire bearing became suddenly very intense.

 “It is no mere passing fancy,” Benny growled, knowing that admitting it was probably a bad thing but Andrea’s behavior had given him hope.

Emboldened by Benny’s words, Samandriel spoke for the first time since Andrea surprised them. “I love him,” he squeaked out.

She relaxed and smiled. “Good. That might make this easier for all of us then.”

“Miss Andrea, what sort of trouble are you brewing now?”

“Oh, it’s Miss Andrea, now, is it?” she asked, a chuckle in her voice and her eyebrow raising pointedly.

Benny blushed. “You took us rather by surprise with your… appearance here. My apologies for being so informal.”

“But, husband-to-be, we  _should_ be on very informal terms, should we not?”

Samandriel whimpered and pressed his lips tight, blushing brightly at having let out such a sound.

“Fear not, dear boy,” Andrea said kindly. “I think you’ll like what I’m about to suggest.”

“Would you just get to the point?” Benny said, barely refraining from biting out the words. He pulled Samandriel into his side, uncaring now what Andrea thought. It was too late anyway, she’d seen more than enough should she want to go public with it.

Somehow, he didn’t think she would, but if only she would just tell them what she was planning and put them all out of their misery.

“Yes, well, you may have noticed that our upcoming nuptials were a little… rushed. My parents feel that I should deceive you…” Andrea looked away suddenly and her hand came down to brush over her stomach. Benny’s gaze followed as understanding dawned. “But I have fond memories of when we were children and I wasn’t so sure that was the way to go. I came here to see what could be done about it and…” she looked up again and took a deep breath, plunging onward,

“And I think we can use this to  _all_ of our advantage. You see, I may have been a little reckless, and had the ill-grace to fall in love below my station. To say my parents were unpleased would be putting it mildly. They were even more unpleased when a certain… indiscretion… made itself known.”

She paused and her breath came out a little shaky. “While they may have looked the other way when it was – to them – a mere dalliance that would most likely fade, a child out of wedlock _cannot_ be ignored. They do not know who the father is – I have refused to tell them for fear of the repercussions he would suffer – and I am afraid, Benjamin, that I do not love you as more than the childhood friend I remember. Yet you must marry, and you must have an heir…” Her words trailed off and she looked from Benny, to Samandriel and back again.

“Marriage in name only, provide a father for your child, save your reputation and mine own, giving me an heir if I can accept another man’s child as my own. In return -?” Benny’s excitement grew at the possibility she was dangling before him. This was too good to be true. Samandriel evidently felt the same, his hand tightening his grip on Benny’s thigh, his breath coming shallowly.

“We keep up appearances as husband and wife for propriety sake, when in reality, you’ll have your boy, there, and I’ll have mine,” Andrea said, lifting her chin. “So long as we’re all of us discrete in our… true affections… I don’t see why we can’t make this work. Just as long as you treat this child or any more that I may have, as well as you would your own flesh and blood.”

“Of course, Andrea. I’ve always adored kids. And I would never take the sins of their parents out on a child – even if it is, indeed more of a mutual sin,” Benny assured.

 _“Is_ it a sin if in our hearts we’re pledging ourselves to our  _true_  loves?” Andrea inquired. “For I intend to do so when we say our vows before the minister. A wedding is a manmade invention, intended for the passage of properties, and I think God would look to our hearts for our true feelings and, if we are entering this in like manner, not deceiving of the other, then God can only approve of our actions.”

“Do you really think such a deception will work?” Samandriel asked hopefully.

“I don’t see why not. I know of at least another of our neighbors currently employing it, for nearly the same reasons.”

Benny frowned. He’d thought he knew all their neighbors fairly well but he couldn’t put a finger to who she might be referring to, or how she could possibly know that when she’d been abroad for so long. Nor would he ask her to betray their confidence, whoever they were, but now it would itch at him to know who else was hiding like they were. If they could cultivate close friendships with their like-minded fellows, it might enable them to more easily thread the dangers and rumor mills of southern society.

Samandriel gasped and his eyes went wide. “Oh!” he said, his lips twitching up. “I think I know who, too.” He leaned in closer to Benny and whispered. “Don’t worry, I’ll tell you later, Benny.”

“If I’m going to be entering into this with you, I think it only fair to know who your lover is, as you already know mine,” Benny countered.

Andrea nodded. “That is a fair price.”

She stood and walked gracefully to the entrance of the gazebo and looked out, waving at a man who stood by a pair of horses.

“William is my groomsman, and I find it oddly appropriate we both fell for men who tend to horseflesh,” Andrea said with another smile. “I feel it is yet another sign of how perfect a match this can become.”

Benny and Samandriel stood to see the man, William, waving back.  From here, you could barely see the top of the sprawling house, a copse of trees between it and this long-lost gazebo. Speaking of…

“How did you find us?” Benny asked, curiously.

“No one at the house knew where you were when I called, so I thought I’d check our old haunts.” Andrea turned. “This was the very first one I thought to check and I was much relieved to find myself right. I would have hated to have to crawl over your land looking for. I’m very glad to have found you, especially as you were. It made broaching this subject so much easier. So, are we in agreement?”

“Aye, I think we are,” Benny said, looking down at Samandriel with a big grin. Samandriel returned the look with a smile that seemed to light up the whole gazebo.

Andrea sighed, smiling warmly at the both of them. “Oh… you two are definitely in love. Come, you must meet William. I found him in England, after my last attendant ran off with a local girl. He’s been amazing in every way.”

She stepped down from the gazebo and made her way across the small space between it and William, greeting him with a kiss. He hesitated a little, a nervous glance towards the gazebo and her intended husband quite obvious – nervous, but also defiant and Benny decided he liked the man - but he relaxed when he saw how close Benny and Samandriel were standing.

“Am I dreaming?” Samandriel asked softly.

“If you are, then so am I,” Benny said gruffly. “And I don’t intend to wake up and lose this dream. I don’t want to wake up and lose you.” He turned to face Samandriel and he cupped Samandriel’s face in his hands. “It’s not the best solution – if the world were kinder, we could live openly with each other – but it’s not and this… it’s so much better than we had feared.”

**BONUS SCENE:**

“Dean and Cas?” Benny blurted.  But the more he thought about it, the more he realized, Samandriel was right. “Damn!” he started laughing. “Oh, I should have seen that myself. Everything makes so much sense now.”

Samandriel giggled against Benny’s collarbone. “I know! They’re so obvious.”

“And here I thought I should warn Cas that his wife was, quite possibly, involved with another man.”

“Oh lord, Benny,” Samandriel gasped, starting to laugh a little harder. “I’m so glad you didn’t. Meg _scares_ me.”

“Darlin’, I think Meg scares everybody. I never could figure out how Cas put up with her. But I guess we know now, don’t we?” Benny mused.

“Mmmhmm…” Samandriel hummed distractedly. He nuzzled at Benny’s neck. “You think we should say anything to Dean and Cas, let them know that…” his fingers glided hesitantly across Benny’s chest, idly drawing patterns there. “ _you know.”_

“That they ain’t the only ones buckin’ societal norms?” Benny asked shrewdly. “I been thinkin’ about something like that even before you told me who, cher. I think it’s a very good idea to have a few friends we can be ourselves around once in a while.”

“Oh, but… Cas a landless gentleman acting as Dean’s steward and I’m just a stable boy. I can’t really come up to the house without raising suspicion,” Samandriel pouted. “And I can’t exactly go calling either.”

“Hmm… Cas does have more freedom of movement then you do in that regard,” Benny said slowly. “So maybe we should just… promote you to a house position? I know you like the horses and all but…”

“Seriously?” Samandriel raised up to hover over Benny, his pale naked chest gleaming in the moonlight that managed to creep inside the gazebo.

“Mmmhmm… would be able to sleep with you in a real bed too. What do you think about that?” Benny asked.

“I think… I’m not qualified for any of the house positions,” Samandriel said, worrying at his lip. Benny reached up and pulled Samandriel’s lips from between his teeth.

“Then you’ll be trained. I was thinkin’ – personal valet? The one I have is gettin’ on in years, was my granddaddy’s valet at the end there, and he’s been thinking of stepping down soon.” Benny locked his eyes with Samandriel’s, pushing back a bit of hair that had fallen into his face. “What do you think, cher?”

“I think I love you, Benny, and yes,” Samandriel said breathlessly. “That sounds just perfect.”

“Good. We’ll get that squared away soon, and then we’ll throw a private house party. I’ve got a good feeling about this,” Benny said, grinning.

“Me too.” Samandriel sighed.

“What is it?”

“And to think, I was all set to hate your wife to be for stealing you away from me and now, because of her… I think I’m happier than I’ve ever been,” Samandriel admitted.

“I’m glad to hear it, darling,” Benny whispered, pulling Samandriel back down against his chest. “Because I feel the same way.” Their lips met in a glorious and unrushed kiss, the future looking brighter than either of them had ever had cause to think it would.

**Bonus _Bonus_ Scene:**

“Wait… I thought Meg was sleeping with that guy Crowley?” Benny spluttered after watching Jo Winchester come downstairs and collect Meg Novak for a ‘private’ conversation. He at least had the common decency to wait until she was out of ear shot before blurting that out to his neighbors.

Never let it be said that Benny wasn’t a perfect gentleman – most of the time.

“What? _Crowley_?” Dean blinked incredulously before he snickered, fell sideways into Cas’s shoulder and broke into gales of laughter.

“Hell no,” Castiel said blandly, despite the addition of a curse and absolutely ignoring Dean. “The two of them _loathe_ each other.”

“So, Meg is really… with _your_ wife?” Benny stared at Dean who still hadn’t brought himself back under control. “But… you have kids…”

Dean sobered up. “That we do. So, might I add, do you. Me and Jo did our duty as husband and wife and now we’re both free to pursue whatever we want.” He eyed Benny shrewdly. “We find ways when we need to to allay suspicions. Cas and I, and even Jo and Meg, are all old hands at it. You and Samandriel can always come to us for advice, and your company is also always welcome here.”

“To be perfectly honest,” Castiel said leaning forward. “Dean and I have often wondered about you. We’ve thought about approaching you before but it is hard to be as open as we would like when we are so often forced to be discrete. It’s nice to have friend who can really see us as who we are – and don’t find us lacking. Dean’s offer is, indeed, quite genuine.”

“Thank you, Castiel, Dean,” Benny said wholeheartedly. “Thank you both.” He couldn’t wait to return home to tell Samandriel everything.

Benny wondered if Samandriel would be just as surprised over the Meg and Jo thing as he was.

Turned out, he wasn’t.

**Super Bonus Scene**

“Wait... we were rather reluctant to approach you for fear that we were wrong. The repercussions if we were… If we may ask...” Dean leaned forward this time, his eyes narrowed sharply. “How were you so bold to risk it?”

 “You may have been discrete among our peers but it appears that you have been, at least once, observed by a servant. Quite…” Benny paused, a smirk on his face as he remembered Samandriel describing every last detail – and what that had led to. “-vividly, in fact.”

 Dean flushed and paled in turns as both embarrassment and horror fought for their place on his face while Castiel turned to glare at Dean. Dean ducked his head sheepishly and Benny held back a laugh at their very obvious “I told you so” moment.

 “Apparently, the two of you had come into our stables during one of our galas, startling one of the horses who was being groomed at the time. The horse had Samandriel trapped against the wall where he heard and saw all that you did.”

 “Now, he won’t say it outright but I am lead to believe that seeing the two of you together is what helped him accept that part of himself that he’d thought wrong.” Benny swallowed, knowing full well that feeling before he’d discovered he wasn’t the only one with such inclinations as his. His voice came out a little gruffer as he continued. “I owe you my thanks for that. Because elsewise he may have never done more than caught my eye. I’d been making my interest as clear as I dared, as you know how that is, but until he witnessed you both, he had held himself back from believing what I was about. I had nearly given up when he practically ambushed me.”

 Benny smiled, his eyes going distant and dreamy as he remembered that first, all too innocent touch, the chaste kiss, hiding the insatiable man who’d initiated it.

 He cleared his throat and pushed away the memory. As pleasant as it was, now was not the time. “And that’s how I knew it was safe to approach you.”

 “Well, it worked out this time,” Castiel grudgingly admitted. “- but I wish Dean would be a little more circumspect around servants. I’ve told him before that their gossiping tongues could do as much damage as those of our peers.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Dean slumped, pouting and Benny laughed at the childish demeanor he threw off.

Benny rose, bidding his farewells with the promise of them coming by for a private luncheon later that week. They would meet on Benny’s land, out by the forgotten gazebo so that Samandriel had a chance to join them, as well as Andrea with her William.

Benny left, humming happily.

Who knew that getting married would turn out to be one of the best things to ever happen to them?

**Author's Note:**

> [Rebloggable Tumblr Link](https://pherryt.tumblr.com/post/176913570164/pherryt-at-the-gazebo-supernatural-au-ships)


End file.
